Heavy ordnance.



A. T. DAWSON & J. BORNE. HEAVY OBDNANGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1912.

1,041,602. Patented Oct. 15, 1912 A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE. A

HEAVY ORDNANGB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, 1912. 1,041,602. Patented o@t.15,1912

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- www A. T. DAWSON L 1T. HURNE.'

HEAVY ORDNANGE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY zo, 1912.

Patented 0st. 15, 91@

EET 3.

entren err/ares narrativi@ ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON, OF WESTMINSTER, .AND JAMES BORNE, 0F BARRGW-IN- FURNESS, ENGLND, ASSIGNORS TO VICKERS LIMITED, OE' WESTMNSTER, LGNBN,

ENGLAND.

HEAVY ORDN'ANCE.

ncaneoa.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

atented c't. l5., it.

V@riginalapplication filed March g2?, 1912, Serial No. 687,114. Divided and this application filed July 20,

lea.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR lnnvon DAWSON, knight, and JAMES Homin, both more guns are moved simultaneously during elevation, and in which the correction for dierence in muzzle velocity between the guns is effected by changing their relative angle of elevation. Y

According to this invention we provide a device which is so constructed and arranged in relation to the elevating gear that during the elevation of the guns the said device automatically actuates a differential gear to correct the elevation to compensate for the di'erence in muzzle velocity existing be.- tween them. The said device may comprise a member which can be initially adjusted to accord with the known difference in muzzle velocity between vthe guns and which is so arranged that it will, during the elevation of the guns, cause an additional movement to' be transmitted through the diierential gear to the gun which is to be corrected, the magnitude of this movement depending upon the amount of adjustment initially given to the member in accordance with the difference in muzzle velocity. The said diiierential gear may be interposed between the elevating pinions of the guns and is adapted to angularly move one or more of -said pinions relatively to the shaftl on which it is mounted, in order to give to one or more of the guns the additional movement that is clearly understood and readily carried into eect we will describe thesame more tally b Serial No. 710,684,

with reference to the accompanying drawny ings in which:

Figures l and 2 are respectively a sectional side elevation and a rear elevation of :a twin gunV mounting provided with a constructional form of our improvements.

-lfigs 3 and i are respectively a plan and a side elevation showing more clearly the said improvements. Fig. 5 is a section oi a detail hereinafter referred to, and Fig. 6 is an en- ;larged view of the di'erential gear shown Figs. l and 2.

ln all these figures like letters of reference indicate similar parts. A, A are the guns, and B, B the slide frames, Bx'is the gun platform or turntable,

' C, C are the elevating shafts and C* is the clutch connecting them.

C', C2 are the elevating pinions gearing with the toothed elevating arcs B", B2, and C", C2X are the elevating motors interconnected by the transverse shaft cn.

D is the sight and n the sight setting hand wheel.

In the constructional form of oiiriirvenn tion shown the aforesaid device for automatically correcting for diderences in iniizzle velocity of 'the guns, comprises a system of diderential gear by means of which the angular displacement of the elevating pin# ionor pinions is effected directly. The said toothed elevating pinion C2 through foin' planet wheels c7 which engage with the internal teeth of the elevating pinion, the said planet wheels revolving in bearings pro` vided in a divided gear non C. This gear box is capable of receiving small angular displacements about the axis ont the elevating shaft C and its supported by the main bearings of the said 'shaft By angularly displacing the vsaid gear box the elevating pinion is., by reason of the aforesaid diierential gear, caused to rotate an amount in proportion to tliemovement of the gear box,

thus giving a corresponding increase or decrease of elevation to the gun. The ratio of the gearing is preferably such that the movement given to the pinion C2 is twice that of the movement of the gear box.

To provide for the automatic displacement of the gearbox it is, in the example shown, provided with a rearward extension CS (Figs. 1 and et) in which a `slide block CSX is adapted to move. This slide block (which We term the main slide block) receives its motion from a screw es* driven through the'bevel and spur gearing shown in Fig. 3 from a spur Wheel 0S on the elevating shaft C. On each side of the main slide block and pivoted thereto is an auxiliary slide block C adapted to move'in a guide C9 formed in a guide member C9x having trunnions 0"* supported in fixed bearings the axes of which are in alinement with the center of the main slide block CSX (as shown in Figs. 1 and 3) when the gun is in the horizontal position. The said guide member Cx can be set in any angular position by means of a Worm 01 Which gears with a worm Wheel segment C10 formed on the rear part ofthe guide member C9". The said Worm is in the example shown operated through bevel gearing by a hand wheel C11 the movement of which also displaces a dial 011 (Fig. 1) graduated for diierences of muzzle velocity. So long as the said guide member C5" remains in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, the main and auxiliary blocks C8", 0 move during the elevation of the gun Without altering the position of the gear box GTX. When, however, the guide member C9 is set at an angle by means of the worm 01 gearing With the worm Wheel segment C1 on the guide member, the movement of the auxiliary blocks C along the inclined guides 09 imparts a gradually increasing angular movement to the said gear box. This condition is shown in Fig. 4, the parts being depicted in the position they occupy when correct-ions are being made for the maximum difference in muzzle velocity and with the guns at the maximum elevation. The angular movement of the gear box increases more rapidly as the elevation increases and therefore meets the requirements of the case.

It is necessary to provide means for disconnecting the operating mechanism of the 'correcting gear when the guns are sighted during the rolling of the ship or when the ship has a permanent heel.. This disconnecting device comprises a clutch C appertaining to the spur Wheel 0S on the elevating shaft C, the clutch being operated by the pedal D2 on the gun platform. The spur Wheel is in the example shown carried on a drum C12 (Fig. 5) which is keyed to the elevating shaft and is connected with the drum by clutch keys 012. These clutch keys are so arranged that they can only engage in one position of the spur Wheel relatively to the drum and are attached by links 013 to a sliding ring C13 which is loosely keyed to the shaft and which is moved axially by links d, al connected to the pedal D2. Vhen the gun is elevated and the said clutch keys 012 are in the engaging position as shown, the spur Wheel c8 revolves with the drum C12, thus imparting through the aforesaid screw 08X and the gear box CTX the required compensation for muzzle velocity. Should it be necessary to alter the elevation of the guns on account of the heel of the ship, the pedal D2 is depressed and the spur Wheel is disconnected from the elevating shaft. Movement of the said shaft does not now affect the said spur Wheel and no further correction for difference in muzzle velocity takes place Whatever change in elevation the guns may receive. When an alteration takes place '.n the range the clutch must first be allowed to engage, and t0 effect this the pedal is released and the clutch keys 012 will then move into position as the gun reaches the elevation at which they Were Withdrawn. The sight and the gun may then be re-set and the required correction for muzzle velocity Will `similar to those described in the said specilication for ascertaining from the sighting .apparatus the correct position in which the disconnecting of the clutch should take place.

It Will be obvious that our improvements are applicable to two, three or moreinterconnected guns.

What We claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In mountings for heavy ordnance, the combination With the elevating pinions of a plurality of guns, of a rot-ary elevating shaft, a diiferential gear for connecting one of said pinions with the shaft, and means for actuating said differential gear during the elevation of the guns.

2. In mountings for heavy ordnance, the combination With the elevating pinions of a plurality of guns, of a rotary elevating shaft, a differential gear for connecting one of said pinions with the shaft, and an adjustable correcting device for actuating said diderential gear during the elevation of the guns.

3. 1n mountings for heavy ordnance, the

continue to be imparted to the elevating shaft, a di'erential combination with the elevating pinions of a plurality of guns, of a rotary elevatingshaft, a di'erential gear for connecting one of said pinions with the shaft, a correcting member connected to said differential gear, a pivot for said member, mechanism for actuatingsaid member during the elevation of the guns, and means for adjusting the pivot of said member.

4. In mountings for heavy ordnance the combination with the elevating pinions of a plurality of guns, of a rotary elevating gear for connecting one of said pinions with the shaft, a correcting member connected'to said diierentialigear, a pivot for said member, mechanism for actuating said member during the elevation tures' in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAWSON. JAMES HoRNE.

Witnesses to the signature of Arthur Trevor Dawson:

HENRY KING, JNO. R. CAsWnLL.

Witnesses to i the signature lof .James Horne: y

H. S. MoDowALL, H. L. GITTrNs.

Copies of this patient may be obtained .for ve cents each, by addressing th Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, C. 

